Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

अत्रास्ति निर्झरं सुभ्रूरर्बुदे वरवर्णिनि । तत्र मे भ्रातरश्चैव तथान्ये मत्स्यजीविनः

Transliteration

atrāsti nirjharaṃ subhrūrarbude varavarṇini | tatra me bhrātaraścaiva tathānye matsyajīvinaḥ

Translation

“Here in Arbuda, O fair-browed one, O exquisitely radiant one, there is a spring. There my brothers dwell, and others too who live by fishing.”

Word by Word

• atra: here
• atra: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय

• asti: there is
• asti: Kriya (Existence/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: लट्, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• nirjharam: a waterfall, a spring
• nirjharam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nirjhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (अस्ति-योगे कर्मवत् प्रयोगः)

• subhruḥ: O fair-browed one
• subhruḥ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: su-bhru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (सु + भ्रू)

• arbude: in Arbuda (mountain/region)
• arbude: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: arbuda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• vara-varṇini: O excellent-complexioned one
• vara-varṇini: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vara-varṇinī (प्रातिपदिक; वर + वर्णिनी)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (श्रेष्ठा वर्णिनी)

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय

• me: my
• me: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• bhrātaraḥ: brothers
• bhrātaraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhrātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha/Emphasis (सम्बन्ध/बल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात

• tathā: likewise
• tathā: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of manner)

• anye: others
• anye: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• matsya-jīvinaḥ: fishers, those who live by fish
• matsya-jīvinaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: matsya-jīvin (प्रातिपदिक; मत्स्य + जीविन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मत्स्येन जीविनः/मत्स्यजीविनः)

Speaker

Dāśakanyā (the fisher-girl)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Arbuda-nirjhara (spring on Arbuda)

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A radiant woman points out a clear mountain spring on Arbuda; nearby are fisherfolk and simple dwellings, with the mountain rising behind.

Characters & Entities

• Arbuda
• nirjhara (spring)
• matsyajīvinaḥ (fishers)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred places are embedded in lived communities; dharma and tīrtha are accessed through local knowledge and service.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A nirjhara (spring) at Arbuda, presented as a place of special purifying potency.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The implied practice is approaching the spring for cleansing/purification, detailed in subsequent verses.